Language Education Colloquium
SeoulTech Language Education Colloquium(LEC)
The SeoulTech LEC series is an opportunity for SeoulTech language teaching professionals to gather at a presentation/workshop to discuss current research and language education topics. It's a great chance to focus our attention on one topic in an interactive setting. It takes different formats depending on the purpose from presentation, workshop, panel discussions to any combination of those. The SeoulTech LEC is held once or twice a semester between March and May, and between September and November. Additional presentations can be scheduled on a special occasion. Anyone is welcome and admission is free! There will be light snacks provided.
LEC Coordinators
- - Current Coordinator: Meerbek Kudaibergenov (September 2022 - Present)
- - Past Coordinator: Jo-Anna Lynch (September 2014 - October 2019), Paul Bournhonesque (March 2012 - August 2014)
38th LEC: 2024 March 7, Thursday 4PM
- - Topic: Boosting Speaking Confidence in Japanese EFL Learners: AI Tools and Pedagogical Strategies
- - Abstract: Two presenters argue that Japanese EFL learners struggle with speaking English, particularly because they lack confidence compared to learners from other Northeast Asian backgrounds. This issue has been studied by Andrade & Williams (2009), MacWhinnie & Mitchell (2017), and Nagasawa (2024) for over twenty-five years. Connecting this to the potential of AI tools, especially GPT, this research explores how they can be used in EFL learning to boost communication skills and achieve a balanced level of English proficiency. The discussion includes optimal teaching methods, along with a case study from Konta (2024) focusing on triangle schema paraphrasing skills, GPT usage, and learners at a CEFR B1 level or higher. Our presentation explores how AI can help learners in ESL countries like Korea and Japan increase their speaking confidence and proficiency.
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Yasuko SATO (photo on the left) is a Professor of International Culture at the Faculty of International Studies, Niigata University of International and Information Studies (NUIS), Japan. With over 20 years of teaching and research experience in TESOL contexts in Japan and the USA, she specializes in applied linguistics, testing, educational technology, and tourism. SATO has been honored with several prestigious awards, including the MEXT Minister Prize for the highest number of consecutive EIKEN test passers in 2017 and 2018. Ichi KONTA (photo on the right), her senior student at NUIS and a member of KOTESOL, was awarded the best paper of 2024 by the Faculty of International Studies.
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37th LEC: 2023 November 16, Thursday 4PM (Zoom)
- - Topic: Exploring the Role of AI Tools like GPT and Google Translate in EFL Learning: A Student-Centric Perspective
- - Abstract: The objective of this presentation is to provide EFL professionals with a comprehensive overview of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with the integration of AI platforms, particularly the GPT series, into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education. By examining GPT’s utility in classroom settings, self-study, homework assignments, and real-world practice scenarios, participants will be better equipped to make informed decisions on leveraging this technology for pedagogical purposes. The presentation hopes to foster an active dialogue among EFL professionals about the implications of AI in the language classroom. By the end of this session, participants should be able to discern the best practices for blending traditional teaching methods with GPT as a
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supplementary tool, ensuring equitable and effective learning experiences for all students.
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Dr. Daniel Bailey, an Associate Professor in the Department of English Language and Culture at Konkuk University, South Korea, is a scholar with extensive experience in English language instruction and a strong research background. He has worked at institutions like Konkuk University, Cheongju University, and Chungbuk National University, delivering English courses for diverse audiences and securing multiple grants, including those from Konkuk University, Korea University, and KOTESOL. His research encompasses topics such as instructor presence in online education, the impact of technology on language learning, and collaborative learning in digital environments. He can be contacted by email at: dbailey0566@kku.ac.kr
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36th LEC: 2023 March 16, Thursday 4PM (Zoom)
- - Topic: Integrating Extramural English in improving English learners' speaking
- - Abstract: With more out-of-school second language learning opportunities, youths are increasingly experiencing Extramural English which is defined as any type of contact that young people have with English outside the walls of the classroom. Several research studies have reported that Extramural English is positively linked with improved speaking performance. In this talk, I will use empirical evidence to discuss the characteristics, predictors, and benefits of Extramural English. I will also discuss how teachers can integrate it into formal practice.
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- Dr. Ju Seong Lee is Associate Head and Assistant Professor of the Department of English Language Education at the Education University of Hong Kong, specializing in Computer Assisted Language Learning (particularly in extramural contexts) and positive psychology in SLA. He has taught high school in Korea, university students in the United States, and is a teacher educator in Hong Kong. A graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2018), he is the author of Informal Digital Learning of English: Research to Practice (Routledge, 2022) and English Education in the Digital Age: Learner-Driven Strategies for Adolescents and Young Adults (with Dressman and Perrot; Wiley-Blackwell, 2023), as well as four book chapters and over 50 peer-reviewed journal papers. He can be contacted by email at: jslee@eduhk.hk. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8756-0910
35th LEC: 2022 November 24 5PM(Zoom)
- - Topic: Rhetoric in Intercultural Communication: A Focus on English- and Korean-Speaking Cultures
- - Abstract: It is a truism that language reflects culture, and, thus, learning a second or foreign language involves learning and getting adapted to a new culture (cf. ‘languaculture’ Agar 1994). Culture encompasses all aspects of human activities and thinking, most notably, the thought patterns, which are often mirrored in rhetorical structures. Despite the presence of universal features in interpersonal interaction, such as ‘politeness’, their actual manifestations may vary across cultures.
This talk focuses on the differences in communication style, especially, with respect to politeness, between English- and Korean-speaking cultures. Meaningful differences occur not only at the lexical level (i.e., words) but also at the grammatical (i.e., structures) and discourse levels (i.e., speech acts). d on three relevant models, i.e., cultural contexts (Hall 1976), cultural dimensions (Hofstede 1984), and contrastive rhetoric (Connor 1996), this talk highlights the differences between the ‘thinkers’ and ‘feelers’ (Rhee 2017), observed in grammatical structures, discourse organizations, personal and public speech acts, and verbosity, among others.
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- Seongha Rhee is a professor of applied linguistics at the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Mahidol University, Thailand and professor emeritus at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Korea. He received his Ph.D. in Linguistics from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996 under the supervision of Professor Dr. Manfred Krifka, now at Humboldt University, Berlin. He taught and researched at Stanford University as a 2003-2004 Fulbright lecturer. His primary research interests are, among others, to identify cognitive and discursive mechanisms that enable language change from the crosslinguistic and typological perspectives; to analyze cultural influence that shapes linguistic structure and triggers language change; and to investigate the socio-cultural, rhetorical, discursive aspects that influence language learning. He can be contacted by email at: srhee@hufs.ac.kr
34th LEC: 2022 November 17 1PM, Rm 302
- - Topic: Don't Simply Write Your Opinion - Show a Critical Analysis
- - Abstract: The presenter argues that classroom writing shouldn’t be dreadful. Rather, writing tasks may challenge, inspire and compel students. During the fall semesters of the past three years, the presenter has utilized a 6-week writing project, transcending the standard opinion essay, with over 400 university students. Through ‘Argument/Counterargument Analysis’ writing tasks, students develop essential persuasive writing skills while exploring the strategic art of concealment - an unconventional but fruitful learning opportunity. The presentation will detail the step-by-step processes students have completed, including sentence development, group essay projects, small group writing roleplays and ultimately producing opposing paragraphs, where the final product is so convincing and tonally objective, the student’s true convictions about the writing prompt remain obscured. These procedures naturally cultivate critical thinking, and even empathy, as students evaluate and communicate a range of viewpoints on a given issue. As time allows, student writing samples will be viewed during the presentation and writing roleplay prompts will be explored. A Q&A will conclude the talk.
- - Speaker: John Breckenfeld has been living in Korea for over ten years. Since 2019, he has been teaching Communicative English in the Foreign Language Education Center at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies in Seoul. After a few years of teaching all ages - from preschoolers to grandparents - John has been thrilled to work with college students full-time since 2015. He is continually inspired by students’ creativity, diligence and positive energy. John is an active member of KOTESOL, which has provided him with unparalleled professional development for the past seven years. His research and pedagogical interests include Friere’s Problem-posing Education, Dweck’s Growth Mindset, Krashen’s Compelling Input Hypothesis and Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, as well as using songs and podcasts as lesson content.
33rd LEC: 2019 October 24 5PM, Rm 202 (Thursday)
- - Topic: Designing An Intensive Reading Lesson
- - Abstract: If extensive reading is easy or pleasure reading, intensive reading may be the opposite: the teacher selects slightly more challenging texts, and readers practice target skills and strategies when approaching the text. In many classrooms, qualities of intensive reading may be more common than those of extensive reading, but how sure can we be that students are reading intensively? In this workshop, we’ll approach the defining goals and traits of intensive reading, including the common reading stages (before, during and after reading), lesson design considerations, and digital tools that could help teachers and students alike. As not all reading class contexts are the same, we may also discuss how elements of the intensive reading process can be adapted to the audience’s teaching context.
- - Speaker: Garrett DeHond has been teaching and researching in TESOL contexts in Korea since 2014. He is primarily interested in English for academic purposes, especially as they pertain to L2 writing and digital applications. He believes practice, cooperation and reflection are essential to effective learning, and designs class activities to meet these ideals. His current research interests center on communicative tasks in L2 writing contexts, and including communities of inquiry and critical tasks such as feedback and response.
32nd LEC: 2019 September 26 5PM, Rm 201 (Thursday)
- - Topic: Improving Presentation-based Speaking Opportunities in Language
- - Abstract: We give micro-presentations every day. In order to be more successful communicators, we need to apply presentation skills when we teach, take part in a meeting, or even chat with friends over a cup of coffee. This talk will help you become more aware of key presentation skills and suggest ideas for providing more presentation-based opportunities for students in your language classes, help them brainstorm and choose appropriate topics, keep the other students engaged during in-class presentations, and give feedback and assess presentations. Tips for ways to organize and run full presentation skills courses will also be discussed.
- - Speaker: Tim Thompson is a communications consultant based in Daejeon. He has taught undergraduate and graduate-level presentation skills courses at KAIST and worked with major companies and government organizations to help their employees become better presenters. His book on presentation-based activities is available on amazon.com.
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31st LEC: 2019 May 30 5:30PM, Rm 201 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: (Re)considering "Bad Teaching Practices"
- - Abstract: There is no shortage of received wisdom about what the “bad” teaching practices are in EFL. Training courses, conferences, workshops, and colleagues are common sources to learn what’s “bad” and should thus be avoided. Chances to step back and consider why this is so are not so common. Many teachers internalize the “rules” about these “bad” practices, but don’t examine specific cases and contexts where these practices might not be so bad. In this interactive workshop participants will be asked to consider the potential positives of widely-known and negatively-viewed teaching practices. Ideas and assumptions about what constitutes “bad” teaching will be challenged and participants can expect to walk away with a clearer idea of their own beliefs on common and commonly mentioned practices..
- - Speaker: Michael Griffin has been involved with English teaching for nearly 20 years, and has worked as a teacher, teacher trainer, trainer-trainer, curriculum developer, and assistant director. He teaches in the Graduate School of International Studies at Chung-Ang University and teaches Curriculum Development and the portfolio course on the New School MATESOL program. Additionally, he's been an online instructor for American English E-Teacher courses for the US State Department over the last 2 years. A frequent presenter, Griffin has presented or conducted workshops in 9 countries for a total of over 60 presentations. He is particularly interested in reflective practice, curriculum development, online learning, teacher education, teaching unplugged, and World Englishes. He blogs at: https://eltrantsreviewsreflections.wordpress.com/.
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30th LEC 2019 April 18 5PM, Rm 201 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: An Introduction and Overview of The Common European Framework of Reference
- - Abstract: The objective of this presentation is to introduce the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), and give an overview of how its functionality can be useful to any language educator. To begin, we will focus on the origins of CEFR and how its phiplosophical underpinnings have led to its unique functionality. Then, we will look at its useful features including its taxonomic structure, the CEFR rating system, and its ‘can do’ descriptors will be given. To illustrate its functionality we will briefly look at how it can be used to create an integrated approach to needs analysis, curriculum design, and testing.
- - Speaker: Keith Mannix is an assistant professor of English and a member of the foreign faculty in the Office of International Education in Seoul National University of Science and Technology. He has a MPhil in Applied Linguistics in Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. He has presented on the Common European Framework of Reference at the KOTESOL, 2017. Currently, he is completing a conversion masters in psychology in the University of Derby in the UK.
29th LEC 2018 November 22 6PM, Rm 201 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: Non-stop Discussions in Student-led Reading Circles for ELLs
- - Abstract: Wouldn’t you delight in hearing your students independently engage in fluent in-depth conversations about their readings? In this workshop, participants will take part in a mini-reading circle using tools I present for use in fiction and nonfiction self-directed reading circles for ELL students. These tools encourage academic discourse, equity in participation, and accountability. The workshop will include time for participants to debrief their mini-reading circle experience, share best practices and challenges in using reading circles, and provide ideas for adaptations of ideas presented.
- - Speaker: Patty MacKinnon is currently an English Language Fellow with the U.S. Department of State and works with the Daum School for North Korean Defectors in Seoul. With 20+ years of experience in the ESL/EFL field in the United States, Guatemala, and Korea, Patty has worked with students and staff of diverse social and cultural backgrounds in: curriculum design, program development, teacher coaching, textbook publishing, community outreach, and teaching. She received her MA in TESOL from San Francisco State University in California and her Bachelor’s of Science at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. Her special interests include teacher coaching, content-based instruction, and celebrating diversity in the classroom and beyond. In the summer, she is often in Guatemala working on her Safe Water Project that she and her daughter formed several years ago to help bring clean water to indigenous Guatemalan villagers. She is also an active Rotary International member. She can be contacted at pmackinnon2004@yahoo.com.
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28th LEC 2018 October 17 6PM, Rm 201 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: Competition and Cooperation in Classroom Activities
- - Abstract: Competition is often used to make classroom tasks more engaging and gamelike. Although this competition can create a classroom buzz, it may also negatively affect motivation and relationships among students. Fortunately, competition between students is not the only way to give activities a motivating, gamelike feel. In fact, cooperation itself can make activities seem more gamelike. This workshop will present several alternatives to direct competition between students, such as competition against a clock or against a personal record. It will also identify features, such as interdependence among teammates, that make activities truly cooperative. Workshop participants will experience more competitive and more cooperative variations of a classroom activity. Then they will evaluate the cooperative and competitive elements in other activities. Finally, they will propose ways of making these activities more cooperative while retaining the elements that make the activities engaging.
- - Speaker: Heidi Vande Voort Nam (MA TEFL TESL University of Birmingham) teaches both teacher-training and general English courses at Chongshin University in Seoul. She has co-authored several English textbooks, most recently High School English Conversation (Visang). Within KOTESOL, Heidi serves as a presenter for Korea Teacher Trainers and facilitates the KOTESOL Christian Teachers Special Interest Group.
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27th LEC 2018 June 14 6PM, Rm 201 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: Further Thoughts Regarding Test Specifications and L2 Classroom Assessments
- - Abstract: As discussed in the previous colloquium, test specifications (or “specs”) are blueprints which can be used to design L2 test tasks, and which can also provide L2 teachers with a useful means of clarifying learning goals and of designing methods for assessing the language skills of their students. This hands-on workshop will build on the skills and concepts introduced in the earlier session, with specific application to the evaluation of L2 teaching and testing materials employed at SeoulTech.
- - Speaker: F. Scott Walters works on the faculty of the Linguistics Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he teaches courses in language assessment, second language acquisition, ESL academic writing, and ITA pronunciation training. His academic interests include L2 pragmatics test development, conversation analysis, and TESOL teacher education. He has conducted assessment workshops at universities in Illinois, Michigan, New York, Texas, Sweden, and Morocco. Among his hobbies are travelling, reading science fiction, listening to Western classical and Korean traditional music, and seeking out used book stores.
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26th LEC 2018 May 16 6PM, Rm 201 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: Applying Test Specifications to the Development of L2 Classroom Assessments
- - Abstract: Test specifications (or “specs”) are blueprints or recipes which can be used to design test-items or tasks. Within the framework of classroom-based assessment – as opposed to large-scale standardized testing – specification-driven test development can provide L2 teachers with a very useful means of clarifying the goals and methods of assessing the language skills (e.g., academic writing proficiency, interactional competence) of their students. This hands-on workshop will introduce participants to techniques for creating such specs, which then may later be employed to develop effective second-language tests for the classroom.
- - Speaker: F. Scott Walters works on the faculty of the Linguistics Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he teaches courses in language assessment, second language acquisition, ESL academic writing, and ITA pronunciation training. His academic interests include L2 pragmatics test development, conversation analysis, and TESOL teacher education. He has conducted assessment workshops at universities in Illinois, Michigan, New York, Texas, Sweden, and Morocco. Among his hobbies are travelling, reading science fiction, listening to Western classical and Korean traditional music, and seeking out used book stores.
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25th LEC 2017 November 29 6PM, Rm 201 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: Enhancing Speaking Activities Through Peer Observation
- - Abstract: Teachers cannot give feedback everywhere at once; however, if students give feedback to each other, the amount of feedback in a speaking class could increase a great deal. Although some students may feel reluctant to comment on their peers’ performances, teachers can help students become more comfortable with peer feedback by giving clear guidelines and modeling. Student feedback will be most productive if observers are encouraged to notice specific features of their partners’ production and if the feedback focuses on successes rather than errors. Participants in the workshop will be asked to take the roles of speakers and/or observers. In each task, the observers will be required to record some aspect of the speakers’ performances, such as number of clauses, number of [target function], or number of [target grammatical form]. After experiencing several types of observation, workshop participants will reflect on the experience by comparing self-observation with peer-observation, commenting on the cognitive load for observers, discussing the effect of observation on subsequent speaking performances, and proposing an observation task for a speaking activity.
- - Speaker: Heidi Vande Voort Nam teaches both teacher-training and general English courses at Chongshin University in Seoul. She has co-authored several English textbooks, most recently High School English Conversation (Visang). Within KOTESOL, Heidi serves as a presenter for Korea Teacher Trainers and facilitates the KOTESOL Christian Teachers Special Interest Group.
24th LEC 2017 Sepember 20 6PM, Rm 201 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: Getting the Most out of Peer Evaluations
- - Abstract: Classroom observation is a great learning tool. Both observing and being observed can provide opportunity for professional growth. With careful design and planning, instructors can get the most from the experience of participating in peer classroom observations- learning new strategies from other instructors, seeing your practice from a new perspective and collecting data on student performance. In this colloquium, we will go over some of the benefits and limitations of peer classroom observations to ensure maximum benefits and minimal interference. We will also discuss different ways that peer observations can be scheduled, goals that can be set for observation sessions and the ideal process for peer evaluation so that you can get the most from your experience. We will then explore some of the forms the presenter has added to Google Drive as resources to guide decisions when it comes to peer evaluations. At the end, there will be opportunity for participants to discuss what they would like to get from their peer evaluations this semester and in the future.
- - Speaker: Amy Ahn currently works at SeoulTech and has an M.Ed. TESOL from the University of Wollongong, Australia. Before coming to SeoulTech, she worked in the English education department at Kangwon National University preparing students to teach in high school and middle school settings. Classes she taught included teaching demonstrations with peer feedback. Her work in peer evaluation has been informed by coursework at Queen's University, Canada and from working as a resident assistant/student don at Trent University, Canada.
23rd LEC 2017 March 14 5PM, Rm 201 (Tuesday)
- - Topic: Extensive Reading: Theory, Resources, and Activities
- - Abstract: Extensive Reading (ER) means reading lots of easy interesting books. Therefore, books should be at or below the reading abilities of your students. ER, for most students in Korea, means reading graded readers. However, many people ask me this question. “How can you be sure that your students are really reading the books?” One answer is a wide variety of ER activities that have students demonstrate comprehension of their texts. These activities exist in a variety of teacher resource books, which I will bring and let you play with. However, the activities in these books are not in the proper order of presentation for students in a class/semester. They are all mixed up.
- In this interactive workshop, I will introduce a hierarchy of thinking skills which will help you organize any ER activity to use with the appropriate level of student at the appropriate time in the course/semester (beginning, middle, end). Then we will do a variety of activities in order to give you a feeling for the difference in thinking skills required at each level. I will also bring several examples of each activity, so you can be inspired to try these activities in your own classes. Finally, I will introduce several online and print resources where you can find further information on this topic and join an international community of practice.
- - Speaker: Dr. Mike Misner is currently an assistant professor in the English Education Department at Korea University. He has been teaching and teacher training in Korea, the US, and France for 21 years. His research interests include extensive reading, teacher training, curriculum development, and mixed methods research.
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22nd LEC 2016 November 22 5:30PM, Rm 201 (Tuesday)
- - Topic: Improving L2 Discussion In The Korean Adult Learning Context
- - Abstract: This colloquium is about classroom discussion in the Korean adult learning context and how it can be promoted and improved in the classroom. The presentation begins by outlining the Korean context and some of the issues involved in teaching Korean adult learners how to discuss in English. Secondly, the characteristics of quality L2 discussion will be outlined. Finally, I will introduce an intervention that has been designed to help Korean adult learners improve their L2 discussion and that has been integrated into courses at Konkuk University. The first part of the intervention involves raising student awareness of what it means to participate in discussion and create and agree upon a set of guidelines to promote quality talk. The second part integrates oral communicative strategy training into an English course, which aims at building on and improving individual characteristics of quality group talk. A link to the materials for the intervention will be provided. (See extended summary below)
- - Speaker: George Skuse is a graduate of the University of Birmingham with an MA in TESOL and is a doctoral candidate in Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick. He has been working at Konkuk University in Seoul as both an English language lecturer and a teacher trainer for ten years. His research interests are classroom interaction and intercultural communication. He can be contacted by email at : geskuse@hotmail.com
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21st LEC 2016 November 8 5PM, Rm 201 (Tuesday)
- - Topic: Applying Critical Discourse Analysis in the ESOL Classroom
- - Abstract: Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) is essentially concerned with exposing social and political ideologies, power abuse and inequality embedded in discourse. In terms of language teaching, it can be used to help learners see beyond the face value of spoken or written discourse and uncover hidden agendas. Beyond empowering learners with a means of neutralizing texts, CDA offers many language learning benefits ranging from developing critical reading skills to generating in-depth discussions. This interactive session will provide a short overview of how CDA approaches can be applied in the ESOL classroom to help learners think more critically about media discourse. There will be examples, activities and discussions alongside practical CDA lesson suggestions.
- - Speaker: Tim Foster is a graduate of the University of Auckland MTESOL program. He currently teaches at Seoul National University of Science and Technology. Prior to this, he worked for the University of Auckland English Language Academy for seven years. He has an undergraduate degree in sociology.
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20th LEC 2016 October 25 5PM, Rm 201 (Tuesday)
- - Topic: Understanding TOEIC Speaking Test and Scoring Guide
- - Speaker: Hae-Jin Kim is the Director of the TOEIC program in the Global Education and Workforce Division at ETS. Her primary responsibility lies in business development for the TOEIC program worldwide learner’s EFL class with Roxy Lee of Annyung elementary school.
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19th LEC 2016 June 7 1PM, Rm 110 (Tuesday)
- - Topic: EFL Role Plays for Fun and a Broader Perspective
- - Abstract: Role plays can be an effective and engaging way to encourage students to talk with each other in English. Depending on the particulars of the 'roles' students take on, role plays can also provide students an opportunity to step into the shoes of someone in a very different situation from themselves. Going beyond the standard doctor/patient and hotelier/guest dialogs, a good role play can encourage students to imagine themselves as someone of a different cultural background, age, and gender, and help them broaden their perspectives while enjoyably practicing English. This presentation details the course contents of a beginner/lower-intermediate level undergraduate class of ‘English role play’ at a Korean university. In this class, a broad variety of role plays were employed, ranging from basic conversational situations to more socially and culturally complex scenarios. Included in the presentation are the insights gained by the presenter into the design of engaging role play activities that can be effectively employed with students of various levels in classes large and small, as well as advice on grouping students for role plays, ways to encourage students’ creative spoken English use, and observations made of students portraying the roles of people of very different backgrounds from themselves.
- - Speaker: Stewart Gray is an English teacher currently employed at Baekseok Culture University in Cheonan. He has been teaching English in Korea for six years with students of all ages. He completed his MA TESOL at Dankook University, Jukjeon. His academic interests include language and identity, reflective practice, critical thinking, and critical pedagogies. He is currently engaged in a collaborative action research project on the inclusion of critical thinking in a young learner’s EFL class with Roxy Lee of Annyung elementary school.
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18th LEC 2016 May. 10 1PM, Rm 110 (Tuesday)
- - Topic: Integrating World Englishes into a Practical English Conversation Course
- - Abstract: The recognition and acceptance of World Englishes has been gaining worldwide attention in past decades. Although not yet universally accepted in South Korea, momentum is also growing through raised awareness and the challenging of past commonly accepted “norms” such as the native speaker myth and notions of “Standard English”. This presentation focuses on a University-level semester-long English conversational class at a University located in a suburban area of Seoul, South Korea. Recognizing the value of incorporating a content-based approach alongside language instruction, the session describes a conversational English class infused with a World Englishes focus. In addition to including target structures and language designed to facilitate conversational practice between learners, each day there was an element of World Englishes incorporated into the class in various ways, including debate topics, partner discussions, voice blogs, and video projects.
- The presentation will describe specifically how the World Englishes theme was integrated into the course, both in daily lessons and in the semester curriculum. Resources and specific activities utilized in the course, as well as results from student feedback and teacher and student perspectives will be discussed. Data was collected from the course via student blogs (both voiced and written), student reflections, teacher observations and reflections, student surveys and course assignments. Presentation attendees will gain a greater understanding of how to integrate the concepts of World Englishes into a University-level English speaking class and my own experiences with the effects of doing so.
- - Speaker: Shannon Tanghe, Ph.D., is an assistant professor and department chair at Dankook University’s Graduate School of TESOL. Shannon has been teaching in Korea for the past 16 years. Shannon’s research interests include teacher collaboration, teacher development and education and World Englishes. Shannon’s recent research has been published in TESOL Quarterly, System, English Today, and Asia Pacific Education Review. Shannon was nominated as this year’s TESOL Teacher of the Year.
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17th LEC 2015 Oct. 22 5PM, Rm 201 (Thursday)
- - Topic: Resourcing Authentic Language in Television Series
- - Abstract: The presentation will present the payoffs and pitfalls of using foreign language television series as a language learning tool. Additionally, the presenter will share his experience of learning Korean in this way and reflect on the experience through an open Q & A throughout the presentation. We'll look at reasons why some learners have benefited from this approach and offer suggestions for arranging this learning opportunity, including strategies and management techniques.
- - Speaker: Anthony Hanf is currently an invited assistant professor at Korea University. He graduated with four majors: TESOL K-12, Social Studies 5-12, History, and TEFL. He completed his master’s degree with Anaheim University where his capstone diary study of himself learning Korean was published in Language Learning Beyond the Classroom edited by David Nunan and Jack Richards. He has taught at an International School, Sungshin Women’s University, and Konkuk University. His research interests include diary studies and language learning through television series. He is currently carrying out research on how foreign language television series affects pronunciation in the L2.
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16th LEC 2015 Sep. 24 5PM, Rm 201 (Thursday)
- - Topic: Exploring Technology and Motivation in Second Language Learning
- - Abstract: From the early days of CALL, there has been discussion of how technologies can play a role in motivating learners in learning a language, and as technologies have become more sophisticated, the growing range of uses of technology in and out of the classroom increases the potential for enhanced motivation. This presentation looks at how technology can be used in the language classroom, and how these uses can link to motivation. It begins with looking at general issues associated with technology and motivation, including a brief discussion of the affordances of technology and how this relates to motivation, and the issue of motivation for using technology from perspective of both teachers and learners. This is followed by a discussion of some newer communication technologies such as social networking tools and virtual worlds, and how they can impact motivation. The presentation concludes by considering local and global issues associated with using technology for language learning, and how motivation may be affected by the technologies that are available in both more and less technologically advanced regions.
- - Speaker: Glenn Stockwell (Ph.D., University of Queensland) is Professor at Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan. His research interests include mobile learning, motivation and technology, and the role of technology in the language learning process. He is co-author of CALL Dimensions: Issues and Options in Computer Assisted Language Learning (Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006) with Mike Levy, editor of Computer-Assisted Language Learning: Diversity in Research and Practice (Cambridge University Press, 2012), and has published numerous book chapters and articles in several international journals in the field of CALL. He is Editor-in-Chief of The JALT CALL Journal, Associate Editor of Computer Assisted Language Learning and Language Learning & Technology, and is on the editorial boards of ReCALL, System and the CALICO Journal. He has been invited to speak at several international conferences around the world on the topic of technology and second language teaching and learning.
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15th LEC 2015 June 4 5PM, Rm 201 (Thursday)
- - Topic: NNESTs & NNESTs Meets Together: Creating Collaborative Working Environment
- - Abstract: From the early days of CALL, there has been discussion of how technologies can play a role in motivating learners in learning a language, and as technologies have become more sophisticated, the growing range of uses of technology in and out of the classroom increases the potential for enhanced motivation. This presentation looks at how technology can be used in the language classroom, and how these uses can link to motivation. It begins with looking at general issues associated with technology and motivation, including a brief discussion of the affordances of technology and how this relates to motivation, and the issue of motivation for using technology from perspective of both teachers and learners. This is followed by a discussion of some newer communication technologies such as social networking tools and virtual worlds, and how they can impact motivation. The presentation concludes by considering local and global issues associated with using technology for language learning, and how motivation may be affected by the technologies that are available in both more and less technologically advanced regions.
- - Speaker: Soonhyang Kim, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of TESOL and Bilingual Education at Pace University, Pleasantville/New York City, New York, USA (until Summer 2015) and Assistant Professor of TESOL at the University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida (from Fall 2015). Her recent research interests are second and bilingual language/literacy development, academic oral classroom discourse, pre-/in-service teacher preparation, non-native, English-speaking teacher issue; and online teacher education. She was also chair of the International TESOL Higher Education Interest Section in 2006. She is the current chair of the Non-Native, English-Speaking Teacher Interest Section (NNEST IS) at International TESOL. Her research-based articles in peer-reviewed journals appear in The Modern Language Journal, Journal of Praxis in Multicultural Education, Reflective Practice International Journal of TESOL and Learning, International Journal of Education and Culture, English for Specific Purposes, Journal of Excellence in College Teaching, Asian EFL Journal, Acción Pedagógica, etc. (Click this link to read more about her and her work related to supporting non-native speakers: https://nnestofthemonth.wordpress.com/2014/11/29/soonhyang-kim/)
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14th LEC 2015 April 23 5PM, Rm 201 (Thursday)
- - Topic: English Language Assessments in Korean Secondary Schools
- - Abstract: This presentation will provide an overview of English language assessments in Korean high schools. It will cover school assessments created by individual schools and large-scale assessments, such as the College Scholastic Ability Test (CSAT). The presentation will include discussion of test item types, assessment creation process, assessment constraints, and the importance of these assessments for university admission.
- - Speaker: Matthew Benson is a graduate of the University of Central Missouri MA TESL program. He previously worked for six years in Korean public middle and high schools and now is an instructor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology.
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13th LEC 2015 March 31 1PM, Rm 201 (Thursday)
- - Topic: Summarization in L2 reading
- - Abstract: This presentation will be about a study, which is a part of a larger scale series of studies, which attempted to investigate summarization in L2 reading by comparing written summaries of more-skilled, as compared to, less-skilled, L2 readers, on the one hand, and their summary writings from more-difficult, as compared to, less-difficult, source texts, on the other hand. He will talk about some of the issues which are important to summarization studies, e.g., how to identify idea units, and what measures would be most appropriate for assessing L2 summarization. A brief introduction of the reading-focused English courses (recently collapsed into a “Practical English Reading and Writing”), required of Seoul Tech students, will be provided at the beginning of the presentation.
- - Speaker: Lee Young-geun has a ph.d. in Korean language specializing in task-based language teaching (TBLT) from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He taught Korean as a second/foreign language at universities both in Korea and the U.S. for 20 years, and has been teaching English as a foreign language for 10 years. He joined the Seoul National University of Science and Technology in 2009. His research interests include reading comprehension, comprehension strategies, and strategy instruction. He's currently working on the summarization in L2 reading project.
12th LEC 2014 Nov. 27 5PM, Rm 201 (Thursday)
- - Topic: A Strategy for Reading Academic Texts
- - Having students read in this day and age translates to forcing them to read because students are besieged with a multitude of digital platforms that distract them from academic reading. Thus, this presentation is on ways to get ESL learners reading and understanding as well as being conversant on core ideas of academic texts across the disciplines with the end goal of making these students independent learners.
- - Speaker: Assumpta Calano has been a visiting assistant professor at Sungkonghoe University in Seoul, Korea since 2009. She finished her masters degree in English at Saint Louis University and is currently finishing a doctorate degree in Language Education. As an educator, she is a constructivist and is very much into materials preparation. She is currently teaching subjects in Intercultural Communication, Reading Into Speaking, and Business English among others. She fosters critical thinking and creates motivated and independent learners among her students.
11th LEC 2014 Oct 23 5PM, Rm 201 (Thursday)
- - Topic: Raising Cultural Awareness in the Language Classroom
- - Abstract: This workshop is designed for language teachers to reflect on the relationship between culture and language learning. The workshop takes as its base, Michael Paige’s culture learning model, and identifies and explores its dimensions.
- - Speaker: George Skuse is a graduate of the University of Birmingham with an MA in TESOL and is a doctoral candidate in Applied Linguistics at the University of Warwick. He has been working at Konkuk University in Seoul as both an English language lecturer and a teacher trainer for eight years. His research interests are classroom interaction and intercultural communication.
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10th LEC 2014 Sep 25 1PM, Rm 201 (Thursday)
- - Topic: An Exploration of Figurative Language and Colloquialisms through Pop Music
- - Abstract: This short lecture will focus on the use of popular music in the classroom, as well as a discussion of the benefits and drawbacks to the use of music in the classroom.
- - Speaker: Nicole I. Decoteau has a Master of TESOL degree from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont, as well as a K-12 ESL Vermont teaching license. She has been teaching for six years in both US public schools and Korean academies. She is currently utilizing her degree at a middle school teaching language through content in Bundang, South Korea where she specializes in literature and modern language teaching. In addition to teaching, she is currently researching the implications of language change, the use of colloquialisms in English teaching, and the various registers of English in order to apply to doctoral programs in the near future.
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9th LEC 2014 May 22 (Thursday)
- - Topic: Virtual Classrooms and the 24/7 Instructor
- - Abstract: This presentation will focus on the benefits of virtual classrooms, as well as how the scheduling of blended courses and virtual courses are shifting the educational paradigm from a traditional 9-5 schedule to a 24/7 approach.
- - Speaker: Aaron Martinson has been teaching ESL/EFL in South Korea for over 6 years. His research focuses on social media in education, effective uses of multimedia in face-to-face and distance courses, as well as the dynamics of virtual classrooms. He will be published in the Asian EFL Journal in 2014 with a paper entitled “Online ESL Education for the Visually Impaired”. He will also be presenting the keynote address at the Higher Education Forum in Osaka Japan on October, 15th for blended and online courses. Other than distance education, Aaron is interested in language learning evaluation techniques as well as the shifting paradigm created by blended courses and online instruction. Aaron Martinson (M.S.Ed. Capella University) is currently working at Sejong Cyber University as a course designer and manager.
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8th LEC 2014 Apr 8 (Tuesday)
- - Topic: Comprehension: Construncting a Coherent Representation
- - Speaker: Danielle S. McNamara is a Professor in the Psychology Department and Senior Scientist in the Learning Sciences Institute at Arizona State University. Her academic background includes a Linguistics B.A. (1982), a Clinical Psychology M.S. (1989), and a Cognitive Psychology Ph.D.(1992). She develops educational technologies and conducts research to better understand cognitive processes involved in comprehension, knowledge and skill acquisition, comprehension strategies, and writing. Her research also involves the development and assessment of natural language processing (e.g., Coh-Metrix), game-based, intelligent tutoring systems (e.g., iSTART, Writing Pal; see soletlab.com), and the use of interactive dialog in automated tutoring systems. One focus of her work is on developing methods to improve comprehension and writing success for high school students. Her publications can be found at soletlab.com. Her presentation will focus on comprehension, and in particular, factors that enhance comprehension such as text cohesion, comprehension strategies, and prior knowledge.
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7th LEC 2014 Mar 27 (Thursday)
- - Topic: Sou’ Eas’: the pronunciation challenges of South East Asian learners of English
- - Abstract: This colloquium will take the form of a practical workshop, which will refer to pronunciation challenges typically affecting Indonesian, Vietnamese and Malaysian learners of English, with a view to identifying some of these issues as being common also to Korean English speakers. It will offer an opportunity to share ideas on approaches and activities which might be effective in addressing such pronunciation difficulties amongst our students, as well as trying out some of the activities which have been found to be beneficial in helping previous students to gain practice and confidence in such areas and, ultimately, to overcome some of these challenges.
- - Speaker: Jimmy Pickford has spent the majority of his 12 years of EFL teaching within South East Asian countries – primarily Indonesia, Vietnam and Malaysia. This has offered interesting insight into not only some of the pronunciation challenges affecting learners of English from those countries when viewed as separate speech communities but also as seen collectively, as a larger linguistic community for which common difficulties exist where the pronunciation of English phonemes is concerned. While completing his MA in English Linguistics, Jimmy undertook several studies – incorporating elements of both phonetics and phonology and sociolinguistics – which enabled him to gain deeper understanding of such issues.
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6th LEC 2013 Apr 18 (Thursday)
- - Topic: The critical role of intercultural rhetoric in the professional preparation of language teachers and researcher
- - Abstract: Intercultural rhetoric is an important area of inquiry in the field of applied linguistics. It is particularly relevant in an era characterized by superdiversity. This presentation will outline the history and evolution of intercultural rhetoric, with an emphasis on how it has informed pedagogical practice and research. It is argued that IR is an essential curriculum component for teachers and researchers in training. IR has the potential to significantly contribute to their professional development in a world in which superdiversity and globalization are rapidly influencing educational policy and practice.
- - Speaker: Nichole Oberheu (MA, Colorado State University) is currently a language instructor at Seoul National University of Science and Technology. Having earned her B.A. in anthropology at the University of Victoria, in British Columbia, she completed her M.A. at Colorado State University. Her Areas of research interest include critical literacy, globalization and digital literacy, and English educational policy and development.
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5th LEC 2012 Dec 6 (Thursday)
- - Topic: Tasks for Speaking Tests
- - Abstract: Communication-oriented English classes often include an oral assessment, and the teachers of these classes are often responsible for designing, implementing and evaluating the oral exam. It can be a challenge to design a test that matches the goals and content of the curriculum, and which meets the basic standards of a good test, including validity, reliability, and positive washback.
This workshop presents 12 types of test task, which can be used as a toolbox by teachers putting together a speaking test. Each type of task will be explained in terms of how and when it can be used appropriately to match what has been covered in class. The focus will be on how to use these tasks to create a good test. Examples will be used to demonstrate the process of going from curriculum to choosing tasks to designing them. After the tasks are presented, everyone will have the chance to put the tasks into practice as we discuss task design for a sample curriculum.
- - Speaker: David Hutchinson teaches English at Hoseo University in Asan, South Korea. He has an MA in Applied Linguistics from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. His professional interests include language curriculum, materials design, language testing, vocabulary learning, and corpus linguistics. He is currently working on improving his Korean and French through extensive reading. He lives with his wife and daughter in Asan.
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4th LEC 2012 Nov 21 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: Technical Writing Education in America
- - Speaker: Kelli Cargile Cook (Ph.D., Texas Tech University) teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in rhetoric and technical communication, including editing, professional writing technologies, rhetoric, computer-based training, and interactive media. Her research examines pedagogical theories and practice in online writing instruction, and issues in programmatic assessment. Her research has appeared in Technical Communication Quarterly and Technical Communication. With Professor Grant-Davie, she published the edited collection, Online Education: Global Questions, Local Answers.
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3rd LEC 2012 Sep 6 (Thursday)
- - Topic: A Dynamic Approach to Understanding Intercultural Communication
- - Abstract: A dynamic and dialectical approach to intercultural communication stresses the relational component of intercultural interactions instead of focusing on individual aspects and people, including how relationships are continually changing and "in process." This lecture will introduce six specific dialectics, as theorized by Judith Martin and Thomas Nakayama, to provide a framework for considering intercultural interactions. This theory will be discussed using the context of intercultural communication in English language classrooms in South Korea.
- - Speaker: Elizabeth Root (PhD, University of New Mexico) began her career as an English as a second/foreign language teacher. Besides teaching refugees, immigrants, and international students in Minnesota, she also taught conversational English classes in both China and South Korea for several years. Her experience working with international students prompted her to return to graduate school to study intercultural communication. Research during her PhD program took her back to South Korea to collect narrative data exploring the intercultural relationships between native-English-speaking teachers and Korean students in a classroom setting. Currently, as an assistant professor in Speech Communication, Elizabeth teaches courses in intercultural communication and qualitative research methods. Her research focuses on issues of university internationalization, cultural identity, and intercultural communication pedagogy.
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2nd LEC 2012 May 16 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: Reflective Teaching
- - Abstract: Reflective Teaching has become an increasingly important focus for language teachers in recent years. A reflective approach helps teachers become aware, not only of what they do in the classroom, but why as well.
- - Speaker: Michael Griffin (Teacher Trainer, SIT Graduate Institute): Uses of language corpora in ESP curriculum development, Reflective teaching, English for aviation purposes, Uses of drama and theatrical techniques to facilitate language learning.
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1st LEC 2012 Mar 21 (Wednesday)
- - Topic: Materials-light Teaching
- - Abstract: Materials-light teaching is part of the language teaching approach "Dogme English Language Teaching," first called for by Scott Thornbury. He argued against a materials-driven EFL philosophy and encouraged teachers to limit their teaching to the local resources in the room (and thus empower themselves and their learners).
- - Speaker: Michael Griffin (MA, The New School): MATESOL Curriculum Development Lecturer, The New School, USA / KOTESOL Co-facilitator of the Reflective Practice SIG / Associate Editor of 'The English Connection' magazine
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232 Gongneung-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul, 01811, Korea
Tel : +82-2-970-7203
Fax : +82-2-970-9189
